One of this country's best carnivore zoos just got better! Unfortunately, it sounds like it is going in those outdated small mammal cages and not a new exhibit. That row of five or six small (very small) cages is the only bad section of an otherwise brilliant zoo.
I have not been there in a few years, but I remember meerkat, arabian wildcat, sand cat, rock hyrax and a serval that was way too big for the exhibit. (It has since been moved to a better enclosure I understand).
A new female Amur Leopard from Fort Wayne Children's Zoo arrived at The Living Desert on November 19th. http://www.mydesert.com/article/201...eopard-added-Living-Desert-zoo?nclick_check=1
A new australian bird feeding area has opened, with budgies of various colors. Birds of the Outback Exhibit at the Living Desert in Palm Desert My brother is an avid international bird watcher and points out that wild budgies are always green. So this mix represents designer pet shop birds. Not that the average visitor will know or care, but we ZooChatters expect a higher standard!
Two jaguar cubs born. Jaguar Cubs - The Living Desert There are a couple of glaring factual errors in the writeup, one of which is part of the title and one of which is buried in the text. Should we issue a challenge to see who can find them?
3 Fennec Fox kits are on display at the zoo. A zebra is also pregnant, and vulture and Burrowing Owl eggs have been laid. Palm Desert's The Living Desert Zoo welcomes baby fennec foxes
I just got an email blast stating the giraffe savanna will be closed for construction during the month of August. It will reopen in September. No details as to what exactly is being done.
I was emailed a survey (which I took) from a marketing firm on behalf of The Living Desert. It reveals some really interesting possible future additions (with an accompanying artist representation). The first two were each detailed separately and prominently (with several followup questions), leading me to believe they are the most likely to happen. One is Park After Dark, to offer extended evening hours. (Summer night openings are one of my favorite things and I am 100% in favor). The only thing I may not like is they hinted you would have to be on a guided tour and not be able to explore on your own. The accompanying graphic shows the lion exhibit with lights, which makes me hope the lion exhibit will be built very soon. The second prominent exhibit is Madagascar, which mentioned lemurs and fossa. No mention of which species of lemur but the graphic showed ringtail. Next were four possible areas all listed in a row with only one followup to vote which one you like best. This makes me think most of these may not happen or at least are in the distant future. Treasures of Cortez (Sea of Cortez aquariums) Gobi Trek (snow leopard and taki) Sweetwater Creek (grizzly bear, bison, bighorn) Journey to Sahel (antelope and cheetah run)
The Grevy's zebra foal unexpectedly passed away. PALM DESERT: Endangered zebra foal dies at desert zoo - Press Enterprise
A female cheetah named Sethunya was euthanized due to severe kidney failure. Living Desert mourns death of 14-year-old cheetah | Latest News - Home
Blargghhh... Their original plans were way better. This plan seems to be more characterized by concrete than desert landscape. That lion exhibit seems smaller than San Diego's!
Another article on the newly adopted long range plans. The fact that the director says part of it may be 25 years away is a bit disheartening. PALM DESERT: Zoo has a tall order for future expansion - Press Enterprise
Also curious in the above article that the stock photo supplied by The Living Desert for them to use is a black footed cat. It is curious because they do not have any black footed cats and they are not part of the future plans (at least that I have read). I believe they did have them at one time, but it would have been perhaps 20 years ago. EDIT: Actually my first visit was 20 years ago and they already did not have them at that time, so it would have been even longer.
